Frequent occurrence of 'red tide', a type of harmful algal bloom, has become a threat to the health[unreadable] and survival of marine animals in the Florida Gulf Coast. The toxic blooms also negatively impact the[unreadable] health and economy of the human population living in these Gulf Coast shores. A dinoflagellate, Karenia[unreadable] brevis, is present in very high numbers in the red tide and is responsible for the production and release of[unreadable] brevetoxins. Brevetoxins are polyketide compounds with a polyether ladder structure and act as potent[unreadable] neurotoxins. Several studies have shown that bacteria are capable of biodegrading complex algal and[unreadable] fungal toxins in nature. We hypothesize that bacteria present in the brevetoxin production cultures of K.[unreadable] brevis and in the K. brevis blooms may have the potential to degrade brevetoxins released by K. brevis.[unreadable] Our long-term goal is to discover and develop natural biological agents for use as potential mitigation[unreadable] tools in the management of a broad range of environmental health problems. We plan to test our[unreadable] hypothesis by pursuing two specific aims: 1) Discover novel marine bacteria, or bacterial consortia,[unreadable] capable of degrading brevetoxin. 2) Isolate, characterize, and evaluate bacterial metabolites from the[unreadable] brevetoxin biodegradation process. The marine bacteria with potential brevetoxin biodegradation[unreadable] capabilities will be isolated by means of an enrichment technique and also by direct isolation. Individual[unreadable] isolates, as well as microbial consortia, will be tested for the ability to use brevetoxin as their sole carbon[unreadable] source for growth. The bacterial isolates from the screening showing efficient growth on brevetoxin will[unreadable] be used for further metabolic studies. The metabolites from the brevetoxin biodegradation process will[unreadable] be isolated, characterized, and tested using HPLC/PDA/MS, ELISA assay and whole cell sodium ion[unreadable] channel activity. This approach is innovative because it utilizes the naturally occurring ability of marine[unreadable] bacteria to detoxify or degrade a complex polyether algal toxin. The proposed research is significant[unreadable] because it is expected to advance and expand understanding of biochemical transformations of[unreadable] brevetoxin in the aqueous phase. This is an important and least studied area of brevetoxin research that[unreadable] has potential applicability in the development of novel strategies for management and monitoring of red[unreadable] tide events, leading to better health prospects for the people in the Florida Gulf Coast region.